Gender Equality, Human Development, and PISA Results over Time

Janine Anne Campbell,Joseph Mcintyre,Natalia Kucirkova

doi:10.3390/socsci10120480

Abstract

Gender equality through the empowerment, representation, and provision of equal opportunities for all, regardless of gender, is increasingly recognised as a driver of social outcomes and a fundamental human right. This study explores the longitudinal (2006–2018) relationship between gender equality, human development, and education results as measured by PISA. Gender equality and human development are consistently correlated with PISA scores at each time point; however, when controlling for starting values and country effects only change in gender equality positively predicts change in PISA scores (F = 22.6, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.58). Research and policy implications for the longitudinal interpretation of the relationship of PISA results with system-level factors as well as the relationship between gender equality and education are discussed in this paper. In consideration of the impact of COVID-19 on education and gender equality, the findings from this study support continued political effort towards gender-equal human development in a post-COVID-19 world.

Highlights

Gender equality is a development goal, a means of achieving other development goals, and a fundamental human right (Lawson 2008; UNDP 2020; World Bank 2011)
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data that reflect the impact of COVID-19 are not yet available, in this study, we investigate the longitudinal relationship between gender equality, human development, and educational achievement as measured by PISA up to 2018
This study explores whether gender equality and human development are consistently associated with education outcomes as measured by PISA scores

Summary

Introduction

Gender equality is a development goal, a means of achieving other development goals, and a fundamental human right (Lawson 2008; UNDP 2020; World Bank 2011). System-level gender equality as an enabling factor for PISA performance has only been explored in one prior study (Campbell 2021), which found a significant relationship between gender equality, human development, and PISA 2015 results. The stability of this relationship over time and the association between changes in gender equality, human development, and PISA results are the focus of this current study. We explore the relationship between change in gender equality, human development, and PISA scores over five cycles of PISA (12 years). We examine whether the relationships are the same for high- and low-performing PISA countries, and for both girls and boys

Objectives

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion